\n<\/p>\n
Eventually, Mr Ng approached NTU directly. A university spokesperson confirmed that the school engaged with him several times to discuss his proposals.<\/p>\n
“All campus installations must meet safety and infrastructure requirements, and his ideas were considered within these guidelines,” the spokesperson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the proposals were dropped and he was told students could simply use Google Maps. After Mr Ng graduated, however, the school reached out again \u2013 although by then he was working as a music teacher and no longer had the capacity to take on the project.<\/p>\n
“But if I were a student and the school was receptive to it, I’d be super happy to just make the signs for them,” he said.<\/p>\n
Mr Ng went on to make wayfinding signs for the public, starting with Marine Parade MRT station.\u00a0<\/p>\n
There, two bus stops had the same bus stop number, with no clear indication of which buses stopped where. So, he made and installed signs.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Going from putting up signs on campus to the public space was \u201cscary\u201d, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou’re doing it in public view, you can get into trouble for a lot of things. Particularly, you can get caned for vandalism. That is one thing I’m very well aware of,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In Singapore, vandalism carries a fine of up to S$2,000 (US$1,540) or imprisonment up to three years, and three to eight strokes of the cane.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut at the same time, I was asking myself: what are my morals and what am I doing this for? What are my values? And for me, if it’s to serve the public better, then I’ll just do them.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n